The Road to Renovation Redux

It’s the Little Things

The countdown has begun! Our house will be completed. Our move-in date will be here before we know it. And we will celebrate with an open house. (Our lease will also be up, and we can say goodbye to the professional bowlers upstairs. At least it sounds like bowling.)

With these realizations, James and I are thinking of more and more items that we still haven’t selected, purchased, or both. We were so excited to get the decision made about the kitchen granite, we forgot about all of the little things that make a house a home.

And that we still had to select. And buy. And agree on.

LIGHTS!

A word of advice if you decide to go shopping for light fixtures: Dress light. I don’t care if it’s 25 degrees outside and dogs are sticking to the pavement, dress light. Because at some point you’re going to realize you’re sweating and that fan on the sales representative’s desk is there for a reason. What is even more frightening is that the fixtures aren’t on full blast or with the brightest bulb. Yet, you’re still pretty sure you’re getting a flash burn just walking through the showroom.

There’s just too many to look at.

And don’t let yourself get distracted by the fixtures you are amazed anyone would buy voluntarily. Just reconcile yourself to the idea that someone had to buy one at some point, because why else would they make that? Remember you are there for you – and your spouse. At least in theory.

James had most of our pendants and sconces selected by the time I made it to the showroom. Not that we still didn’t wander around in awe. Or look at multiple showrooms. We tried to be judicious and not jump at the first fixture we saw. However, when your gut’s telling you that’s the fixture, that’s the fixture.

CABINET PULLS

Ah yes, cabinet pulls. Nature’s elusive accessory in every possible shape, size, color, and material. So how am I supposed to select that? And how many do I need?

I am fairly certain I can say I’m not the only person to wander into a showroom and glaze over trying to select a cabinet pull. (Is that one shaped like a lizard? Really?) By the third showroom the pulls started to look all the same. And in some cases were. But how do you select something that’s a) timeless; 2) looks good; and 3) doesn’t bust your budget when you’re buying 30?

We were able to toss out the ones shaped like insects, animals, people, etc., which still left us into the hundreds to look through. However, we think we’ve settled on a fairly simple bar. At least, until I talk to my partners and architect friends and family and…

DOORBELLS

Ding dong! Avon calling!! Or someone’s calling.

As I sat on the bed the other night making our to-do list, we reached the end convinced that we had thought of everything. Until James blurted out, “Doorbell!”

Crap.

Have you ever test-driven a door bell? Wander into a Home Depot or a Lowe’s sometime and check them out. Surely they weren’t meant to sound like that. And why are the chime boxes so big? I’m supposed to put that in the hallway and no one will notice? Can I disguise it as modern art?

We thought the more practical option would be the doorbell that allowed us a custom setting. So instead of the “ding dong” chime, we’d be able to set it to announce “We’re not interested.” Or “We gave at the office.” Or on the really rough mornings, a simple “Shove off!”

Then we always have the option of no doorbell, and just resorting to someone knocking and having the dog bark incessantly until we answer the door.

ETC. ETC.

I could keep going, but as I’m writing this, other items are occurring to me. (Mailbox!) But that’s another topic for another day! Plus that would take time away from hopping in the car, driving in circles, and hoping we find just the right knob/ light/ mailbox/ doorbell/ shelves and all the other “little things” before we move in.